Shadowed Past
by Renica Swavely
Summary: Years have passed since Kitty last saw Avalanche. She returns to the Brotherhood's house to reflect on the romance she had with him. A surprise visit from Quicksilver makes her realize she still loves him, but how to you go back after so many years?
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Avalanche, Shadowcat, Quicksilver, Rogue, Cyclops, Jean Grey, Wolverine, Storm, or any other character created for the X-Men: Evolution series or X-Men as a whole.

**Prologue**

**Present Day**

She set her eyes on the building that had once brought her an impossible dream. The beaten down shack did not look like much at the present, but her memory of it was from a long time ago. Standing a few yards in front of the structure, she surveyed the damage time had served the boarding house. She had been young and naive, thinking she could over come the odds that stood against them. A sad smile crossed her lips as she remembered that fateful winter night. This house had been her subconscious destination and _he_ had been...

The day in sophomore year when Jean Grey had vanished from the Xavier School, she had come here. Forgetting how early in the morning it was, she had accidentally walked in on _him_ changing. It had startled him to see her standing in his doorway, staring at him in nothing more than his boxers. A tremor had followed, along with yelling, as he accused her of assuming he would have anything to do with her friend's disappearance.

That was how it had always been with them. He would start something, she would retaliate, it would escalade into a shouting match, tears might come, but at the end of the day, she was there for him.

She was reminded of the night he had exposed her secret to the entire town at the championship soccer game. He had started something major, something she had not even wanted to think about. While she had scrambled about, trying to help her classmates, he had been engaged with Scott Summers. He left his battle the moment she was in danger. He had saved her life that night. Pushing her out of the way, he had taken the collapsing debris on top of himself, sparing her. She had pulled him out, using her phasing ability. By then, the damage was done. Rain fell and the group started to come together, but she stayed with him, holding him in her arms, wishing for something more than this life they had been given.

And then the day had come when he had had to choose sides and he had betrayed her. She still remembered the wounded look in his eyes when she had called him a hood. He had been burned by her assertion and had retaliated by yelling that he would never be good enough for her. And that's where is had ended. That's where it had been shot to hell.

For a while anyway...

The smile faded from her lips. She didn't want to think about _him_ anymore. That was years ago. So much had happened since then. Jean and Kitty had lost touch. They were no longer as close as they had once been. Along with her had gone Scott. Of course, they had been married, but their happiness did not last. Kitty had recently found out about Jean's alter-ego, the Phoenix, and the tragic effect it had had on her and Scott. Now Jean Grey was dead.

Evan aka Spike had left a long time ago, not surprising to Kitty at all. Kurt, who had been one of her closest friends at the institute, had tried in vain to find the answers to his past, to which there were none available. He had returned to the Institute, and left again. Boom-Boom had gone off on her own, joining up with other forces. Her absence had not bothered Kitty in the least. She found Boom-Boom very distracting.

Surprisingly, Kitty and Rogue had remained close throughout the years. More than once, she had come to her rescue and vice versa. They had made a companion out of Colossus, the enormous mutant who could cover his body in thick sheets of metal. Some would say that Kitty had made him more than just her companion, but right now, she didn't want to think about that either. It was funny how some things never changed around here…and how some things did.

A small breeze flashed against her skin, causing goosebumps to ripple up her arms from her wrists. She drew her coat up around her neck, hoping to ward off the chill. She had not noticed the person off to her right.

"Hey there, Shadowcat."

She froze. That voice was familiar. It dripped with old hatred and new disdain. She felt her molecules begin to shift with anticipation of phasing. Cautiously, she glanced over her shoulder at her company. "Quicksilver?" His presence put her on defense. She readied herself to fight. "What are you doing here?"

The white-haired mutant smirked and stepped closer. "I should really be asking you that. After all, I lived here."

She held his gaze defiantly. Unlike this house, the years had treated her kindly. Now at 26, she had grown a couple inches. Her body had filled out just enough in all the right places, while losing the tiny traces of baby fat that had lingered around her jaw line in her teen years. As her physique had matured, so had her mind. She had dropped her "Valley-Girl" dialect for a more sophisticated language, though sometimes she fell back on the old habit. Studying under Professor Xavier as well as other mutants, like Logan, had caused her to drop the "like" in between every other word. They had also helped her increase her self-confidence.

"Answer my question," she snapped, impatiently.

Quicksilver raced around her in circles, causing her hair to fly about her face. He stopped in front of her, hands on his hips. Her eyes slanted downward. "Is Kitty-Cat angry?" He moved away and started to run again. She watched him for a moment, then grinned as something appeared in front of him. She allowed a small purple lizard to breathe fire in her opponent's face, before he took his perch on her left shoulder. "Damn,"Quicksilver muttered, rubbing his head. "Friend of yours?"

"Meet Lockheed, my pet dragon."

"Dragon? Where did you get that?"

Kitty ran her finger over the top of Lockheed's head and down his scaled back. She had gone on a mission to space and had found the alien life form while completing her tasks. He had been extremely friendly to her and she had taken an immediate liking to him. As she had never had any pets of her own, Kitty had adopted him when he followed her back to Earth. He had been with her ever since, more loyal than ever.

"Are you going to answer my original question, Pietro?"

Eyeing the dragon, he took a step back. "I'm outta here," he announced and took off.

Kitty Pryde sighed. She had not expected to gain any information from Quicksilver. He wasn't one for confrontation. With his speed, he had never been held responsible for much of what he said. But her distaste for him went back to high school. He had been too arrogant for her liking. His I'm-better-than-you attitude impressed lots of girls at Bayville High, but Kitty had known what lay under that sardonic grin. His deep connection to his father, Magneto, had caused them problems in the past. She had stayed clear of Pietro and the rest of the Brotherhood…well almost.

Lance Alvers, also known as, Avalanche, had been a somewhat unhealthy obsession of hers.

But that was behind her now. She had moved on.

She did not know why she had come here. She had felt the need pulling her for years. She had ignored it by throwing herself into rigorous training, which included the time she had spent learning from Logan. One-on-one training sessions with Wolverine were hard, especially when he was determined to make her an excellent fighter without the use of her powers. They had studied the arts of the ninja and she had gained valuable knowledge that aided her battle. She had also been privy to Shield training, another thing that Wolverine thought would give her an advantage. The results were extraordinary. Her foes now found her a more formidable opponent, then the naive girl she had once been.

However, her friends had told her it was detrimental to be practicing so much, but that had only made her push herself harder. She had fought over in Britain for a period, learning things from a different perspective. She had not shared with her fellow X-Men her reasons for doing all of this. Rogue had confronted her one day about her recent change in attitude. Kitty nearly told her the truth, until she realized why her old roommate thought she was in danger. Rogue had thought she had an eating disorder. The misconception had made Kitty laugh…almost. Things had become more evident in the recent weeks at the Institute. Even Logan had started to notice. Earlier that week, he held her back after breakfast with the others.

"You're not acting like yourself, Half-Pint," he had observed. Despite her ability to now refer to him as " Logan" instead of "Mr. Logan," he had never bothered to lose his nickname for her. She suspected it had something to do with the fatherly nature he had for her and Rogue.

It hurt her to have to lie to him, but she wanted closure on that portion of her past. She wanted to lock it up forever and never see it again. Talking about it out loud would only make it come alive.

"I'm fine," she had told him. Even if his sense of smell wasn't stronger than a dog's he could have picked up the pain in her words.

When she left this morning, Kitty had asked Rogue to cover for her. As an adult she had more reign than she had when she had been enrolled in high school, but she was still learning and she had not wanted the others to know about her trip, especially Colossus. She had not originally planned on staying out for long, but now, as she noticed the height of the sun in the sky, she realized hours had passed. Her urge to inside fought with her logic that there was no reason to revisit the past. However, moments later, she found her feet taking her forward into the Brotherhood's old residence.

It was hard to breathe inside. The layers of thick dust and mold choked all the fresh air out of her the building. All the rooms looked the same, unkept, just as they had been when the Brotherhood had lived there. Lockheed flew about freely, searching for scraps of food. Meanwhile, Kitty ascended to the second floor, hoping the air quality was better up there. The step creaked with each impending motion. She was glad she had the ability to phase through things. If the staircase collapsed, it would come in quite handy.

The second floor appeared to be in better shape then the first. She walked down the corridor, running her hand along the wall panel. She passed three doors on her left and one on her right, before she stopped in front of the last side door. She stared ahead, not looking at the rusting knob. When Lockheed landed on her shoulder a moment later, she jumped. The cat-sized dragon rested his head in the crook of her shoulder, lovingly and she relaxed slightly. Once again, she returned her attention to the knob.

She shivered. It had been a bad idea to come here. The memories in this place were too strong. She was starting to believe again, she was starting to feel it. She shook her head. This was wrong. She was beginning to get too nervous. Her control over her powers was fleeting. She felt her heart rate climb faster and heard her gasping for air. Focusing, she forced her feet to phase back up thru the floorboards. Taking a deep breath, she calmed her racing pulse. _You're fine_, she told herself.

It took her few moments before she allowed herself to believe it. She leaned against the wall opposite of the door. In the knob, she could see her partial reflection. She looked terrified. Swallowing the lump of anxiety that had been brewing in her throat, she pushed herself off the wall and grasped the door knob. Lockheed watched her with his wise old eyes. Slowly, she turned it. The door swung opened effortlessly, revealing a long abandoned bedroom. Kitty took another deep breath before stepping inside.

This was where it had started all those years ago.

* * *

**A/N:** So this is my first X-Men:Evolutions fic and all reviews are welcome. I need feedback, people! Please & thank you! Oh and if you're a Lancitty fan than you'll love my Lance/Kitty music video. The link is on my profile! Nev 


	2. Sleepwalker

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Avalanche, Shadowcat, Quicksilver, Rogue, Cyclops, Jean Grey, Wolverine, Storm, or any other characters created for the X-Men: Evolution series (or X-Men as a whole). I am writing this fic for the amusement of my own demented mind. Thank you.

**Chapter One: Sleepwalker**

**Ten Years Earlier...**

He sat at his desk, arguing with himself over the importance of homework. Concentrating on all the numbers that were dancing across his paper made him dizzy. Math had never been his strong subject. He preferred Shop, a more hands on class. He forced himself to try the fifth problem again. If he wanted to get his GED he was going to have to pass the upcoming exam. He hadn't told the other Brotherhood members. It would have just given them something else to mock him about. It wasn't as if they didn't already have enough on him.

His brief romance with one of the X-Men had pretty much dissipated the last of his dignity. He closed his eyes, leaning back in his chair as he thought of the girl with the long brown hair and sparkling eyes. A smile started to form on his lips until he recalled their latest confrontation, in which she had called him a hood. The smile vanished. He had been stupid to ever think he could make her happy. He was a first-class loser and always would be. There was no reason she could want him, not when she had a whole house full of amazing mutants who were dying for a chance to go out with her.

No, she was better off without him. And he...he was better off without her. Right?

He shook his head and went back to work. For over thirty minutes he wrestled with the problem until finally a light went on in his brain. The answer was so simple. He grinned as he finished it up. _That deserves a soda_, he thought, pushing back the chair. Stretching his arms over his head, he left his room to retrieve a cold beverage. Toad and Blob were down on the couch watching some cartoon. Wanda was sitting off to the side watching the snow outside.

Everything seemed normal. He stretched again as he entered the kitchen. Pietro was making popcorn, or at least he was trying to. After his short power trip, the others had lost all respect for him and left him to fend on his own. Pietro had gotten skinnier as a result. He was not the best cook and no one took pity on him, especially Blob.

Grabbing the last Coke from out of the fridge, the brown haired mutant returned to his room. Nothing of interest was happening downstairs and it was quiet. He could finish up the rest of his homework before the night was out. He bent over the next problem and got to it.

* * *

About an hour later, he heard his roommates head to their beds. Blob was the noisiest, causing some of the ceiling to fall down out in the hallway. After they had settled down, the quiet came once again. Lance yawned as he surveyed the amount of work he had completed. He was ready to call it a night. He began packing away his textbooks, careful not to tear any edges or bend any corner. He was startled when he heard the slightest sound coming from his doorway a moment later. 

Lance Alvers had never been, what you would call, a believer. Even after discovering his unique ability to create tremors he had never once searched for a higher power. But when the thing he desired most in life walked right into his room, he started thinking that perhaps there was a God and he had done something right. In front of him stood the girl he had loved since he had met her.

Katherine Pryde's capability to walk thru walls had granted her access into his bedroom. He determined that she was sleep walking seconds after her entrance. She was walking a bit off balance, her breathing shallow, and her eyes were closed. One glance outside told him that she would have to be sleep walking to have come all the way here in just her pajamas. It was the middle of December and a blizzard was hitting Bayville. As if his thoughts had reached her, she collapsed to her knees, her teeth chattering.

Quickly, he grabbed the blankets off his bed, wrapping them around her shivering body. "Kitty," he called her name, while rubbing her arms. "Kitty, wake up." She did not open her eyes. He tried shaking her by her shoulders, gently, but that produced no effect either. He stalled when he noticed the color of her lips. They were pale, almost blue. He pulled her tight against him and continued rubbing his arms about her.

"Lance," she said, before coughing. He moved back, examining her face. Her eyes flickered open. She blinked a few times. "Lance," she repeated, this time sounding surprised. "What are you doing in my room?"

"Your room?"

She looked around and screamed.

Out of instinct, he dropped his hand over her mouth. "Do you want to wake everybody up?" he asked, dragging her to her feet. Her eyes darted back and forth as she realized she was no longer at her precious Xavier Institute. He removed his hand and let her go. "Jesus Kitty, what are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here?" she growled. "Why did you _bring_ me here?"

He stared at her. "I didn't do anything. I was sitting here trying to finish my homework when you walked thru the door." He pointed to his desk in the far left corner. Sure enough a few tattered papers sat awaiting his return.

Kitty touched her forehead. "Then how did I get here?"

"Judging by that," Lance gestured to the window, "You walked here in your sleep. I can't imagine any other possibility." Her eyes widened as she beheld the whirlwinds of snow outside. She shivered and backed away from the window. "Here," he offered her the blanket. She smiled as he helped her wrap it around herself.

They sat down together in silence. There was only one chair in the entire room, so they sat on Lance's bed. Kitty did not seem unnerved by it, but Lance was nervous. A girl was sitting on his bed. But this wasn't just any girl. It wasn't as if Boom-Boom decided she wanted to take his bed along with his Jeep, and his food, and his toothbrush, and his soap. No, this was Kitty. This was the girl he had left the Brotherhood for, only to be shut down by Scott Summers. He made a fist as he thought of how Summers had treated him.

"How am I going to get back?" she pondered out loud.

An option arose in Lance's head, though it seemed as unlikely as the fact that she was sitting here with him. "You could stay here," he said. She turned to look at him. "I mean," he scratched the back of his neck. "Well you could sleep up here in my bed. I'll go downstairs on the couch." She didn't say anything, just stared at the floor. He stood up. "It's not probably as luxurious as what you're used to," he added, pushing down on the mattress. It bobbed a bit, making Kitty smile. "But you know, it's warm and it's only for one night."

Lance stared into her baby blue eyes. She looked so innocent, so pure. He just wanted to reach out and kiss- _Cool it, Alvers._

"Alright," she nodded. "I'll stay."

"Okay," he said, heading to the closet. He pulled out an extra pillow and a few blankets. Kitty watched as he moved around the room, turning off the lamp at his desk, packing away his unfinished homework, and then gathering up the bedding again. He paused by the door. "I'll see you tomorrow morning?"

"Um…yeah," she answered, her voice a bit weaker than before.

"Okay then," he opened the door. "Uh…see you." He made sure to close the door behind him. No use in advertising her presence to the rest of the Brotherhood.

He walked down the hall, feeling strange. Kitty was in his room. She was spending the night. Okay, so it wasn't as if she had much of a choice, but at least she was here.

The steps squeaked as he headed down to the sofa. It was patched up badly and had a faint odor, probably from Toad sitting on it all night. Lance held his breath as he laid down some blankets and propped up his pillow. He thought of Kitty and smiled at the thought that tomorrow morning he would wake up and she'd be here with him. He settled down on the couch, not noticing the deflated springs or the stench.

With the vision of her glistening eyes in his mind, hewent to sleep.

* * *

Sometime in the middle of the night, Lance sensed motion in the living room. He steadied his breathing so the intruder wouldn't think he was awake. He opened his eyes slowly. A figure was standing off to the side of the couch, not moving. He sat up, ready to fight, when a small hand closed over his fist. "Lance?" 

"Kitty?" He was glad for the lack of light. He was grinning like an idiot.

"I can't sleep," she told him.

"Oh," he said, moving over so she could sit next to him. Her hand was still on his. She felt warmer now. Her body temperature had caught up. He was glad. He didn't want her getting sick. "Are you okay?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. Fine." She shrugged. "Just couldn't sleep."

He didn't know what to say. He couldn't see her facial expression so he didn't know if she was worried about something or if she was just as nervous as he was. He could swear that his heart was beating loud enough for the both of them to hear it.

Subconsciously, he started running his thumb over the inside of her palm. She didn't pull away or ask him what he was doing. Instead, she leaned her head against his shoulder. Lance sat there, frozen. He didn't want to move…but that made breathing kind of difficult.

After a few minutes, Kitty yawned. Her head drooped lower. He turned slightly, so her head was resting against his chest. Sitting back, he pulled her into his lap. She didn't object, so he placed his arms around her. Her head nestled below his collarbone, the strands of her hair brushing against the bottom of his chin, tickling him lightly.

She yawned again. "I should go back to bed."

Lance felt his breathing hitch. She was going back upstairs. He didn't think he could move. If he did, she was defiantly going to see something she hadn't seen before. He swallowed. "Um…don't you want to stay down here?"

Kitty shook her head back a forth not noticing the slight pitch change in his voice. "Nah. The bed was softer. Besides, this couch kinda smells."

_Alright Alvers_, he thought to himself. _You can do this. Think of cold showers…ugly people….the Blob in the shower…_ He grimaced. Problem solved. That was a painful image. He nearly gagged.

"Are you alright?" she asked, sitting up.

He nodded. "Just the smell. I guess you were right."

She brushed her feet against the floor. "I don't know how you can sleep on that," she commented. "I would think you miss your bed."

He bit back his bottom lip. Image of Kitty in his bed with him started to flood his brain. His problem was starting to resurface. Damn teenage hormones. "Yeah," he chuckled as if it was no problem to live with a person like Toad. "You know how it is. You live with all those X-Geeks."

"They are not all geeks, you know," she grumbled, protectively. "You just don't like Scott."

Why did she have to bring him into this? "Summers has a stick up his ass," he growled.

Kitty didn't reply. She sat still, watching the floor. Her hand left his. A moment later, she stood up and walked over to the stairs. Lance watched her go, but he couldn't bring himself to admit that he was wrong. He had never gotten along with Scott Summers. Kitty had to understand that why she may not approve of his friends, he also didn't approve of some of hers. He saw her climb the first two steps, then stop. She stayed there for a moment, watching the hall, before turning around.She came back down and returned to him.

"Lance?" He glanced up to face her. "Do you like me?"

The first response he could think of was: _No, I love you._ But his reputation was at stake. He could not just announce to the world that he cared for Kitty Pryde. That would cause some serious problems amongst the ranks. So he cleared his throat and lied. "I guess."

She put her hands on her hips. "You guess?"

He stretched out on the sofa, putting his arms behind his head. "You're a fun kid."

"Kid?" she repeated, the tone in her voice changing. Her eyes grew dark and the corners of her mouth came to a sharp close. He didn't like where this was going. "I'm a kid to you?"

"No. I just meant-"

"Just meant what?" she snapped, her voice getting louder.

Lance winced. She was angry. "Kitty," he started, but she cut him off.

"I'm leaving." She marched toward the front door. He jumped over the couch and reached for her wrist. She phased right through him. "Goodbye Lance." He watched as her body melted through the door.

He waited for her to come back. She didn't. It seemed impossible that she would actually leave, but after a few minutes went by and she hadn't reappeared he realized he was alone.

"Damn it," he cursed, tugging at his hair. He paced back and forth fora momentbefore darting upstairs.

Pietro came out of his room, as he passed. "Whatcha doin', Lance?" he asked, leaning against the door frame. Lance ignored him as he began dressing for the cold weather outside. He put on his boots, a heavy sweater, and his jacket. He took a pair of gloves and a scarf for Kitty. He was going after her. He pushed past his friend. "I'm going out. Go back to bed."

"Does this have something to do with your Kitty-Cat?" Pietro asked, yawning leisurely.

Lance faced him with a glare. "Why?"

"I was just wondering," the cocky mutant said. "I saw you two downstairs having your little cat fight."

"Stay out of it, Pietro," Lance hissed.

"Whatever you say, Avalanche," he responded. "I'm just watching your back. You know the rest of those X-Geeks are never going to let you be with her." He glanced down at his fingernails. "Besides, I thought you said you were over her." He met his roommate's glare.

Lance grasped the collar of his shirt. "I said stay out of it," he threatened, the floor rumbling slightly. Pietro stared at him until Lance threw him aside. He stormed down the hall to the steps, and out the front door.

Outside the snow was coming quicker. The winds had picked up. Tiny bits of ice hit his face and clung to his hair. He checked the Jeep but there was no way he would be able to drive it now. The wheels were nearly buried and the doors were frozen shut. He kicked the right front tire and cursed. He would have to go after her on foot.

Lance stuffed his hands in his coat pockets and started marching through the snow. Each step caused a crunching noise from the ground. He quickened his pace knowing how damaging the weather could be, especially when Kitty wasn't dressed for it. The wind kept at his neck, biting his skin. He ignored it, intent on rescuing Kitty before something worse happened to her.

He found her unconscious by the base of a tree about three blocks away from the boarding house. She was shaking. Her hair was decorated with little ice pieces and her lips were blue once again. Most of her clothing was damp, though not completely soaked. She was on the brink of pneumonia.

Without hesitation, he tore off his own jacket. Her feet were soaked from walking. He feared she might get frostbite. He unlaced his boots and pulled his feet out. However, putting her wet feet in his shoes wasn't going to do enough. Shivering, he took off his shirt and started ripping it into long strands. Kneeling in front of her, he wrapped them around her each foot, making sure to cover up everything from her toes to her ankles. Then, he lifted her up over his shoulder, stuck the boots on her feet, and began heading for the Institute.

It didn't take long for him to figure out why Kitty had collapsed. With only socks on his feet, he could feel the icy cold all the way up his legs to his bare chest. He bit his bottom lip as he struggled to maintain a constant pace towards the school. They were about a mile away when he stumbled, nearly dropping Kitty to the ground. The gloves and scarf came out of his coat and he scrambled to pick them up without upsetting his victim. It was no use. He couldn't reach them, so he left them and wandered on.

The snowy winds pounded against his face. His nostrils flared in pain as the freezing air cut through them. He tried breathing out of his mouth, but the result was similar. The temperatures were too extreme. He was beginning to lose his ability to breath properly.

Ten minutes later, he reached the Institute gates. Barely conscious, he poked the intercom button.

"Yeah?" a gruff voice answered.

"Please….help….Kitty..." And that was all he managed to get out before collapsing into the snow.

* * *

Kitty woke up to a splitting headache. She felt the pulsating pain magnify when she opened her eyes to see where she was. Quickly, she shut her eyes. After a moment, she opened them again, this time slower. She recognized the walls of the Institute's medical wing. Looking around, she spotted Professor X sitting in his wheelchair to her right and the rest of the mutant squad off to her left. She closed her eyes. 

_What happened to me?_

Her memory was hazy. She remembered walking to the Brotherhood's house and Lance telling her to stay. She remembered asking him about his feelings and then their fight. She knew she had walked out on him but after that things got foggy. She couldn't remember how she had gotten here.

When she opened her eyes again, she noticed the jacket she was wearing. It was defiantly a boy's coat. She wouldn't be caught dead wearing something like it to school. It was way too big to be Kurt's and it was not Scott's style. She hadn't seenBobby wear anything like it either. The only person it could have belonged to was….

"Lance," she sat up suddenly. "Where's Lance?"

Professor X wheeled over, a look of concern on his face. "Kitty, please calm down. You've been through a lot."

She felt her head reeling from sitting up so quickly, but she braced herself on the edges of the table and took a deep breath. Suddenly, it all came back to her. She remembered the cold winds and the freezing ice. There was only one way she could have made it this far in that storm. She was wearing proof of it. Lance had come after her. Did that mean he did like her? She shook her head. She was being ridiculous. He was probably just feeling guilty. No need to read into it too much.

"Kitty," the Professor began. "What do you remember about last night?"

"Not a lot," she admitted. "I was sleepwalking."

"Yes," Professor Xavier nodded, "I know. I sensed you were in motion but not your exact location." He paused, examining her feet. She saw what perplexed him was the rough bandaging. The wraps appeared to be ripped pieces of fabric. Running her fingers over the cloth, she realized what it was: Lance's shirt. "You were very lucky that Mr. Alvers got to you in time."

"Is he alright?" she asked, hoping the others didn't hear the worry in her tone.

"Yes, he's fine," the Professor told her, as he scanned her vitals on the computer screen. "He woke up about an hour ago. Logan is with him now."

Kitty felt the color drain from her face. "WHAT?" Everyone stared at her, especially the Professor. "You let them alone together. Lance will die!"

"Hardly," a coarse voice grumbled from the doorway. Wolverine walked in, dragging Lance behind him. "Though I think it will be awhile until he wakes up." He left him in the middle of the floor.

Not thinking, Kitty jumped off the table and rushed over to him. She checked his pulse first, sighing with relief when she confirmed that he was still alive. Then, glancing up at Mr. Logan she asked, "What did you do to him?"

"Don't worry, Half-Pint. I was just trying to thank him for bringing you home. I almost got to tell him to, but he fainted."

"Fainted?" Professor X questioned skeptically, his fingers interlaced as he watched the scene unfolding before him.

"Yeah," Logan grinned. "I had to list all the ways I'd hurt him if he ever laid a finger on Half-Pint again. You know, have to protect the kids, Charles."

" Logan, though I realize your intentions were noble, I do not believe that was the most appropriate way to handle things," the Professor said.

"Whatever, I'm going back to bed and the rest of you better do the same. We're having a training session at five," Logan announced. His declaration was followed by a chorus of groans, as the rest of the study body filed out of the medical room.

Kitty was still on the floor with Lance. She was holding his head on her lap, watching his eyes. She felt guilty for storming out of his home and dragging him into this. He had never felt like he belonged at the Xavier School and though she had wanted him to stay, she had always known that he would leave. Still, having him here now brought her new hope. She only wished the others would be more accepting.

"I sense the weather is not going to let up any time soon, and what with Orro in Africa" Professor Xavier told her. "I think it would be best if Lance stayed here until the storm passes. Logan, would you help Kitty take Lance to the guest room. I believe his uniform is still in the closet. He can wear that until a suitable alternative can be arranged."

"You're going to keep him here after what happened to Half-Pint," Logan indicated Kitty with his thumb.

"He'll be better off here then going back to the boarding house, at least for a couple of days."

"Alright, Charles, but I want it on the record that I don't like the kid."

"I'll remember that," the Professor smiled. "Good night."

Logan looked down at Kitty with Avalanche and growled. "Okay, let's get this over with." He bent down and picked up Lance, hoisting him over his shoulder. As they waked from the basement up to the student corridors, Kitty noticed thetension in her teacher.

"Mr. Logan," she began. "I'm really sorry I scared you. I didn't mean to, like, sleep walk across town."

He sighed. "I know, Half-Pint. I worry about you. You don't know what its like out there." He looked over his shoulder at her and she smiled.

"Don't worry, Mr. Logan. You and the Professor are teaching us everything we need to know."

"Yeah," Logan nodded. "Yeah, good ol' Charles." He became silent then and Kitty knew he was reminicsing about a time long ago.

They stopped in front of the guest room's door. Kitty walked through it, not thinking about Logan and Lance, then laughed at herself as she opened the door for them. She fished Lance's old uniform out of the closet while Logan laid him down on the bed. "I think he's out for the night. Some sleep will do him good." Stretching, Wolverine let out a half-howl, half-yawn. "Well, I'm going to bed. Night Half-Pint."

"Good night, Mr. Logan," she said, as she tucked Lance in.

He waited a minute and when she didn't move: "Uh, Half-Pint?"

"Yeah?"

"Go to your room."

Kitty giggled. "Yes, Mr. Logan." He held the door open for her as she walked under his arm and out of the guest room.

She went to her room, not surprised when she found Rogue already asleep. Curling up under her blankets she thought about the night and all the things that had transpired between her and Lance. Maybe this was the beginning of something new for them.

* * *

**A/N:** Don't forget to check out my Lance/Kitty music video. The link is on my profile. Comment on it if you like.


	3. Frosty Interlude

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Avalanche, Shadowcat, Quicksilver, Rogue, Cyclops, Jean Grey, Wolverine, Storm, or any other character created for the X-Men: Evolution series or X-Men as a whole.

**Chapter Two: Frosty Interlude**

The next morning at breakfast, the entire mutant clan sat down for a meal of gossip.

"Is it true that Avalanche is back at the Institute?"

"I thought something didn't feel right."

"So Kitty went to the Brotherhood's dump last night?"

"I heard she was with Lance Alvers, if you know what I mean."

"Nah, I bet she wanted to get a scoop on Mystique for the Professor. "

"Yeah, right. You know how into Lance she is."

"I agree vith Amara. She's very close to him," Kurt added.

"Why don't you squirts just shut your mouths," Logan snapped when he entered the kitchen. "I don't want to here anymore about it." Some of the younger students muttered under their breath. "Or you'll be doing extra training sessions with me each morning at four." Silence followed his threat. No one said a word, as Logan grabbed an apple off the table and took a big bite out of it. "That's better," he grinned. He walked through the door and out to the living room. As he came around the staircase he heard voices.

"Lance, put me down. I can, like, walk you know."

Logan's eyes slanted. What was that guy up to now? For theatrics, he allowed his claws to come out and started up the steps. He found them standing behind one of the columns. Avalanche was holding Kitty up in his arms and the two were talking. Logan smirked. He was about to show the boy why the other students were afraid of him.

"Morning," he greeted them, resting his claws upon Avalanche's shoulder. The member of the Brotherhood went pale as his eyes took in the physical threat. "Have a nice rest?"

"Um…yeah…sure," Lance sputtered, watching Logan's sharp talons carefully.

"Good," Logan nodded. His eyes grew dark. "Put Half-Pint down."

"Sure thing, sir." Lance set Kitty down immediately.

"Well, I'm off to do some sharpening," he motioned to his claws. "See you around, Lance." He spit out Avalanche's name as if it had a foul taste.

"What was that about?" Lance asked as soon as Wolverine was gone.

Kitty blushed. "Mr. Logan's just being protective," she shrugged. "Here at the Institute, he's like my dad, you know." She noticed how uneasy Lance was. "Don't worry about it," she told him, grabbing onto his arm. "Let's go get some breakfast."

"Yeah, okay," he said, letting her lead him downstairs.

There was a lot of noise coming from the kitchen. When Kitty phased them through the swinging door, all talking came to a halt. She didn't seem to notice the sudden silence. Lance did. He also noticed all the people staring at him.

Summers seemed to ready to shoot some of his laser beams at him. The guy to his left, named Iceman, had a large icicle in his hand. When Lance made eye contact with him, he grew another one out of his arm. Jean Grey wasn't glaring, but she wasn't smiling either. Rogue was completely indifferent to the situation. Then, there was Nightcrawler, who seemed the worst out of the bunch. He was sitting on his hind legs, seething with anger.

"Hi," Lance waved.

No one answered him. Kitty placed her hands on her hips, leaning forward. "Um, like, excuse me. Lance just said hi to all of you."

Only Rogue looked at her, from where she sitting on the window seat. "Hi," she muttered, returning to her book, a second later.

"Fine," Kitty snapped. "If you can't get over yourselves, we'll just eat elsewhere." She grabbed Lance's hand and took him over to the fridge.

They made two bowls of cereal and proceeded to the living room. "What is with them?" she grumbled as he searched for something to watch on the television.

He didn't want to make her see the reality of the situation, but she had to know, if she didn't already. "Face it, Kitty, you're little family and my little family don't get along," he sighed. She made a face and continued eating her cereal. He flicked through the channels until something caught his eye. Turning up the volume, he leaned towards the screen.

"It appears that heavy snowstorms from last night are only the beginning. A county wide blizzard warning was put into affect at seven o'clock this morning. Authorities are insisting that residents remain in their homes. The low temperatures and strong winds are not allowing for any safe mode of transportation. All over Bayville, business are closing. The Bayville mall is closed, Bayville High," – Here Kitty let out a squeal of joy – "even the District Justice office is closed for the day, until roads came be safely traveled."

Lance turned the TV off. It seemed that he would be staying here longer than he had first assumed. When he had woken up last night to find himself on the examining table, he had thought he was dying. However, as it turned out, he was in much better condition then Kitty had been. His body systems were functioning at their normal rate and with a good night's rest, he would be back to normal.

Professor X had then proceeded to thank him for saving Kitty. "She surely would have died if you had not gotten her back here. Her body is currently undergoing a warming process to build her core temperature back up." Lance had asked to see her and they had walked across the hall to where Kitty was lying on what looked like a tanning bed. "She has another fifteen minutes to go, then we are going to put her in another room for observation."

"I want to stay with her," Lance had said. "It's my fault she's like this. I want to make sure she'll be okay."

The Professor had sat there for several long minutes, watching him as he had stood by Kitty's side, holding her hand. He remembered how cold she had felt when he had retrieved her from the snow dune. She was so warm now. "Lance, I would like you to stay here for a day or two," Professor X had announced. "I think it would be beneficial for you and Kitty until we can figure out the reason why she walked across town to your room."

He had agreed. A break from the Brotherhood was welcomed, especially after the stunt Pietro had pulled. "On one condition," he had said. "I am not going to do anymore X-Geek training."

"Fair enough," the Professor had agreed.

They had moved Kitty to the observation room. The Professor had instructed him on how to handle the equipment and he had carried her over to the new table. It had been only a moment later when Wolverine had burst in, rage in his wild eyes. He glanced at Kitty. Shoving Lance out of the way, he had leaned over her to view her stats on the computer next to the table.

"Kid," he had growled. "You and me gotta talk."

Before he could have argued, Lance had found himself being yanked out of the room and drugged down the metal corridor. As Wolverine took him away, the rest of the X-Geeks appeared, hurrying to see if Kitty was alright. As he had been tossed into a small room, Summers had passed by. He gave Lance a death glare before disappearing around the corner.

"Now," Wolverine had started. "Talk."

Lance had only stared at him, fearing for his life.

"Tell me what Half-Pint was doing over there."

"Kit-Kitty was sl-sleepwalking," Lance managed to stutter out.

"How did she become a human freeze-pop?"

"S-she and I g-got into a fight and s-she l-left."

"You let her outside in this," Wolverine had howled. "What were you thinking?"

Lance had not replied. He had hung his head in shame. He didn't need any help beating himself up. He already knew how dangerous he was to her. It wasn't a new thing.

"Listen up, Bub," Wolverine had reached across the table and grabbed Lance by his neck. "I don't like you. I don't know what Half-Pint sees in you but if you hurt her I'll come for you, understand?"

Lance had tried to say yes, but lack of oxygen made it very difficult.

"I will hunt you to the ends of the earth. You'll never get away from me. When I dig my claws into something, I don't let go. Get the picture?"

He had felt like he was going to die. He had not been able catch his breath. The last thing he had seen before he went out was Logan's menacing gaze.

Someone touched his arm and he jumped. "Hello, Earth to Lance. I was, like, talking to you," Kitty was waving her hand in front of him. He looked around. She had finished her cereal, but his bowel was still half full. "I said, do you want to go ice skating with me?" she repeated.

"Sure," he agreed.

"I bet your jacket is dry by now," she commented, as they raced upstairs.

"Um, Kitty," he stopped by her bedroom door, scratching his neck.

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry about last night."

She ignored his statement and threw her arms around him, giving him a hug. "Thanks for saving me, Lance."

"I-er…," he wanted to tell her that he had lied. He wanted to say how he really felt, but just having her embrace him was enough for right then. Being able to feel her warmth against him gave him the tiniest bit of hope that maybe he could tell her one day.

She pulled away first. "I should, like, go get changed. Meet you outside?"

"Yeah, sure," he grinned.

"Okay," she smiled, and shut the door.

He returned to his room to change. His normal clothes were dry, as Kitty had suspected. He rejoiced in having his attire returned to him. Putting the X-Geek costume back in the closet, he spotted a scrap of paper on the floor. He bent down to retrieve it. There were three little words scribbled on the note paper. _Please stay, Lance._

He knew the scrawl. It was Kitty's writing. Judging by the turned color of the paper, the note was not recent. He read it again. She had wanted him to stay here. He remembered the day he had left the Institute. Summers had taken it too far. He had lost his temper and took the blame the younger mutants deserved, if only to spite Scott. However, the others came forward and admitted to being the joyriders. Kitty had defended him too. In the end, he knew Boom-Boom was right. They would never accept him. Thinking back on it now, he realized that they still didn't accept him.

Lance sat down on the floor, his back against the wall. What was he doing here? Why had he gotten himself into this mess? Wouldn't it be easier to forget about Kitty and move on? He shook his head. He had tried that road before. It wasn't an option.

He held the paper in his hand, staring at it. She had tried to reach him. She had reached for the impossible. He was not sure how she felt about him now, but he knew from this that she had cared for him…more than he had known at the time. The small kiss they had shared that day had tempted him to stay, but odds were against him. He couldn't keep up with the training they were expected to know. He didn't want that burden. He just wanted to be with her.

It was hard to live two lives. Each time the Brotherhood battled the X-Men it got harder to keep his personal feelings hidden. Loyalty was hard. He had known Kitty longer than the Brotherhood. He had put her in danger numerous times, but in his heart he knew he could never hurt her. That made him a risk. Mystique had pointed it out before. He had tried to have it both ways. So far, it was hard, but he could manage. One day, though, he would have to decide. What would he do then?

What would Kitty do?

Suddenly, he thought of who she would stand with. There was no chance that she would leave the X-Men. They were her family. She would stand against him if he stood by the Brotherhood…his family. He pounded his fist against the floor, feeling a small vibration bounce back at him. He closed his eyes. Resting his head back against the wall, he pondered over their relationship. It was fine right now. The two groups were mingling more than they were fighting. But that would change. Things were going to get worse. A war was going to come and then lines would be drawn. Kitty would be on one side and he would be on the opposite. He punched the floor again.

bampf Lance jumped as Nightcrawler appeared next to him. "Hey do you mind? I'm trying to get my homework done," he complained.

"Buzz off," Lance snapped.

"Scheez, touchy," the blue mutant disappeared.

He sighed. Nightcrawler was right. He was getting angry again. He couldn't let his emotions out with his power. He had to learn to control the reaction. He stood up, taking the piece of paper with him. He needed to tell Kitty. He had to know what she felt for him. There had been a time that she liked him, possibly even loved him, but he needed to know what she felt now. Zipping up his coat, he headed out the back.

She was standing on top of a hill with two sleds. One was navy and the other was bubblegum pink. He climbed up the hill, keeping his back to the wind. "Are you sure we should be out here after last night?"

"It'll be fun," she insisted, handing him the navy sled.

"Alright," he agreed. Darting ahead of her, he yelled, "Last one to the bottom is a loser!"

Kitty ran after him, "Not fair!" she screamed, as she dove onto her sled.

Lance was ahead of her, but not for long. She phased through him, speeding to the front. He yelled, but his voice got lost in the wind. She turned to see him and didn't notice the snow drift in front of her. Pfoof Kitty hit the bank and rolled off her sled. Lance pulled up aside of her, helping her to her feet.

"You alright?"

"Yep," she smiled, holding onto his arms to keep balance. "Should've watched where I was going."

He didn't move. She kept staring up at him with her rich blue orbs. Her hands weren't phasing through him, she was just holding on to him. This was his chance! He could ask her. "Kitty, I-,"

Lance was cut off when she pressed her lips against the corner of his mouth. Though it was not the moment he had been anticipating, he was not about to pass it up. He closed his eyes and dipped his head lower. Circling one arm around her and using the other one to hold her face, he kissed her back. He went slow so she had the opportunity to pull back if she wanted to. She didn't. She reached up and tucked her hands behind his neck. He ran the tip of his tongue over her lips, gently. She was surprised, but not as surprised as he was when she did the same thing to him.

This time he couldn't control the tremor that broke free from beneath his feet. Kitty pulled back slightly and giggled. He smiled back at her, brushing strands of hair out of her face. "Kitty," he started again. "I lo-,"

"Yo, Pryde. The Prof wants to talk to you," Bobby called from the top of the hill.

Glaring over her shoulder, she shouted, "Okay, I'm coming." Bobby remained where he was. She looked at Lance expectantly.

"Um, never mind. Go ahead. I'll talk to you later."

He watched her go. She passed Bobby and entered the back doors of the mansion. As soon as she was inside, Bobby crossed the yard to where Lance stood. He wasn't alone. Out of nowhere, the other X-Geeks appeared. Summers, Jean Grey, Nightcrawler, and even Rogue started coming forward out of the blistering cold.

"Listen Alvers," Summers said, "Kitty is our friend. She's a part of this family and we protect each other. If you hurt her,"

"Stop right there," Lance growled. "I already got this speech from Wolverine." He started walking away, but when stopped when Jean used her mind powers to hold him back.

'Well listen again," Summers snapped. "Don't think that you can get Kitty on your side. She's knows her place."

"Alright, fine," Lance agreed. "Now listen to me, Summers." Scott's attention was held. "I like Kitty. I get that you geeks don't think I'm good enough for her but she happens to like me, so deal with it." With that said, he stomped off, heading back to his room.

* * *

Inside the mansion, Kitty and Professor Xavier were having an important discussion concerning their future. 

"Kitty, have you given any thought to recruiting Lance?" Professor X asked.

"No, not really. I mean Lance is, like, important to me and all but he doesn't really fit in here, ya know?"

"I understand," the Professor replied. "However, it is important that all mutants, even those in the Brotherhood feel connected. We all have different powers that make us unique. Such a trait should unite us. We would be a stronger race if we could learn to cooperate."

"I get what you're saying, Professor," Kitty said. "But what does that have to do with me and Lance?"

"You two are the perfect example of mutual cooperation. You both care for each other regardless of your station and where you feel you belong. I was hoping that the two of you could talk to the others and spark a trend."

"Professor, we have already tried, like, a million times. No one wants to be friends. There is too much bad stuff holding them back."

"I know it will be difficult, but I am counting on the two of you to make a difference."

Kitty sighed. She defiantly didn't need this right now. She was still learning to harness her abilities. Juggling Institute training, schoolwork, and Lance were obvious not enough because now she was responsible for uniting the entire mutant race. She waved goodbye to the Professor and walked out of the study.

Holding her arms around herself, she followed the hallway to the back door. Outside, the snow covered earth looked like a wonderland. She smiled as she thought of the kiss she had shared with Lance. She traced her fingertips over her lips, thinking of how wonderful it would be if they really could unite the Brotherhood and the X-Men. She could be with Lance forever. Moments like the one they had had earlier wouldn't be so hard to come by. They could be happy. They could be together.

Opening, the door, she stepped outside, running for the oak tree where she had last seen Lance. As she got over the crest of the hill, she stopped in her tracks. No one was there. "Lance," she called above the roar of the winter wind. "Lance!" No reply reached her. Hugging herself, she ran back inside.

Suddenly, she didn't feel so good. Rational thought told her to blame the feeling on nerves but as she climbed the staircase, she doubled over. Gasping for breath, she held herself up with one hand while the other clutched her stomach. "Ah!" she cried as another wave shot through her. Beads of sweat began to appear across her forehead. She sunk to her knees, her breathing labored. _What was going on?_ Then just as abruptly as it had started, the pain vanished.

Kitty stood up. She wiped the sweat off her head and looked around. She didn't see anyone else in the foyer. She was alone. _Must have been a fluke_, she thought as she continued up. _Probably just some aftershock from last night._ She went to the guest wing, intent on finding Lance. She had to tell him about the Professor's plan. Even if he rejected it, she had to tell him. She wanted him to believe in it. She wanted to believe in it herself. She wanted to picture a world where they could all get along...and not just in her dreams.

"Lance," she knocked on the door. "Lance, are you in there?" The sound of footsteps could be heard and then the door opened. He didn't look happy to see her. "Um…can I come in?" she asked, searching his face for any signs of the man she had just kissed.

"Sure," he moved aside so she could enter.

Even though there was a table with two chairs in the corner, she took a seat on his bed. He stood by the door, not sure where to go. Kitty smiled and patted the area next to her. He ran a hand through his hair, but took a seat. She opened her mouth to tell him, but stopped. What if he didn't want this? What if he didn't want to try and make things work? If she asked, would she be risking their relationship? She bit her bottom lip back as her picture perfect world shattered.

"Kitty?"

"I…um...," she stood up and stared at the door. "I should go."

Lance looked hurt. "Alright," he sighed, moving so that he was lying down.

She turned to face him, still biting her lip. "Lance," she started again. "What were you going to say to me earlier?" He opened his eyes, but didn't look at her. "Before Scott and the others got to you."

"You knew?" he asked, sitting up.

"I live with them," she shrugged. "I was pretty sure Scott was going to try and talk you out of staying here. I wasn't positive until I poked my head out of the mansion and saw them surrounding you."

He chuckled. "That must have looked interesting."

"Yeah," she admitted. "I'm sure if anyone had been looking it would have shocked them." She returned to the bedside. This time it was his turn to invite her to sit. "So…what were you going to say?"

Lance dropped his eyes. "Kitty, you know I like you," he admitted. "Last night when you asked…well there were a lot of things going through my mind. I wasn't sure how to tell you, so I lied." He let out the breath he had been holding when she didn't slap him. "I know it was the wrong thing to do. I didn't want you to leave. I just," he shook his head. "I don't know what to do when it comes to you."

He stole a glance at her. She was smiling, a genuine smile. Her eyes were sparkling. She looked so beautiful.

"You have no idea how glad I am to hear you say that," she responded, her voice cracking slightly. She held back her tears. "I should tell you why the Professor wanted to talk to me," she added. Then she explained what Xavier had told her down in the study. Lance listened, if only because she was holding his hand and giving it a tiny squeeze every now and then. "So what do you think?" She asked when she was done. "Do you think we can do it?"

Had anyone else asked him he would have scuffed and said it was impossible, but this plan, though bizarre, could actually give him what he wanted. He could be with Kitty. If his friends and her friends could learn to respect one another his problems were solved. However, there were a lot of issues on the table. He could not just forget the interrogation he had been under with Wolverine or the others. And they weren't the only problem. He was sure the Brotherhood would object to this plan as well.

"Kitty, I don't know," he admitted. "There is a lot that could go wrong. It is going to be very hard." Another glance at her face told him that he had to. "But this could be a chance for us…a real chance." Her face lit up. "I'm willing to try."

"Oh Lance," she flung her arms around him, knocking him over as she landed against his chest. "This is great!" she cried, kissing him.

She was completely oblivious of the position they were in. She was lying on top of him, on his bed, with the door closed, kissing him. Lance, on the other hand, had every reason to be wary of the situation. Wolverine's warning kept flashing in his head. He laid there unable to pry her away but too afraid to relax. When Kitty trailed her kisses to his earlobe, his apprehension vanished. His lips found hers as he pulled her tight against him. She responded by running her tongue over his mouth. He felt excitement rise in his loins. What was she doing to him?

Kitty moved against him, totally unaware of the effect she was having on his body. He ran a hand through her silky strands of hair, loving how the surprise made her open her mouth wider, granting him access. She moaned softly when he nibbled on her top lip. The sound drove him crazy. He felt his hips buck slightly, and pulled back.

Her lips were swollen, a gorgeous red tint. She was breathing fast and had the smile of an angel on her face. He felt his heart rate go up as she touched his cheek with her fingertips. She ran them up his cheekbone, then down around his jaw and up his opposite cheek. He closed his eyes, relishing the soothing motion. Then all of the sudden, she stopped.

He opened his eyes. She appeared to be in shock. "Kitty," he reached for her, but his hands phased right through her.

'"Oh my God," she cried.

He felt the color drain from his face. "Kitty?" He sat up, reaching for her again. This time his hands came in contact with her face. He held her, trying to figure out what was wrong from her expression. "What is it?"

Staring right into his eyes, she said, "I love you."

No sooner had she let the words escape from her lips, then she phased downwards, leaving him alone.

As she retreated to her room, Lance stayed lying on his bed. Shock, confusion, and joy swept through him. _Kitty loves me!_ He wanted to shout it all over the world. He wanted to go snub the news right in arrogant Summers' face. He pondered over the temptation, but decided against it. She had asked him to help her with uniting their two families not causing another riff in the ranks. He felt himself grinning stupidly again, but he didn't care. The three words he had wanted most to hear from her had come. He felt as if he could do anything.

Happiness surged through him like a river of power. He could feel it tingling all the way from the tips of his toes to the edge of his hair. It was like an electric shock. It rippled through him like a raging bull or a very calm Pietro. He couldn't stay still. He got up and jogged in place, did some jumping jacks, started a round of push-ups, promptly followed by a round of sit-ups. He leaped up onto his bed and did a back-flip off he mattress that Toad would have been jealous of. He let out a whoop. Kitty loved him! Settling back down on the bed, he mused over what their life together would be like.

Kitty would finish high school. They would get a house, or an apartment to start off in and live with one another for a few years, then one night, when he was feeling particularly romantic, he would propose. She would be overjoyed. She would cry and hug him so hard he wouldn't be able to breath. She would say yes. He would kiss her until the waiter asked them to leave. He would take her home and they would share the night together. Months later they would get married and have children. He could see it all now. It would be perfect, everything he had always wanted.

He understood then why he loved her as he did. It was simple. She made him happy.

And he was going to tell her.

* * *

Kitty fell onto her bed. She touched her forehead, checking for a fever. No excessive heat. What had she been thinking? She closed her eyes and curled up, hugging her pillow. There was no doubt in her mind that her confession would drive Lance away. After all, other than unshaved legs, commitment was the surest way to drive away a man. She grasped the edges of her comforter, hoping that is she just wished hard enough, things would go back to normal. 

Rogue entered the room, looking rather angry. She slammed the door shut before letting out a shriek of rage into her pillow. Kitty sat up. Rogue's behavior was very uncharacteristic for her. Yes, she had seen Rogue mad, but yelling into a pillow was a bit extreme for the Southern misfit.

"Something wrong?" Kitty asked, trying to break the ice as easily as possible.

"No," Rogue snapped, facing the wall.

As much as Kitty wanted to ignore her roommate to indulge in her own self-pity party, she knew Rogue had always been there for her. She would not disrespect the caring nature her friend and shared with her. She got off her bed, walking over to where her roommate was lying. Kitty pulled over Rogue's desk chair and sat by her.

"You know, I'm not, like, stupid. You can talk to me about anything. Really. I may not understand exactly what you're going through, but I can try to help," Kitty offered, as she stroked her fingers through Rogue's stripped hair. There was no immediate response. Rogue continued to lie there, unmoving. Kitty sat still, waiting. She understood that whatever was on Rogue's mind, it was big. It might take minutes or even hours before she was ready to share.

After the Apocalypse incident earlier that year, Kitty had had to pry all the information she could out of Rogue. It was hard to believe that her friend blamed herself for everything that had happened in the mountains. Mr. Logan had talked to her several times about it, but Rogue had been unreachable. She blamed herself and wouldn't allow any room for comments that differed from her opinion. It had taken about a month until Kitty had managed to getRogue to speak aboutthe incidentin an unbiased way. Her breakthrough had pleased Professor Xavior and had relieved the rest of the staff, particularly Mr. Logan.

She began to feel guilty, sitting there by her friend. Perhaps if she hadn't been spending all her time with Lance she could have been there when whatever had happened to Rogue happened. She bit back her bottom lip, chewing on the skin. Maybe she was pursuing Lance with the wrong intentions. After all, telling him that she loved him had not been part of the Professor's plan to promote unity. She wondered if she was helping out the Professor for her own desires instead of the good of her friends. One glance down at Rogue made her fear that she had.

A tear fell from her eye. Had she become one of those girls that lived only for a man? Lance had been the most important thing her life ever since she realized how empty she felt without him. Her mother had assured her that it was just a phase. Mrs. Pryde had told her there would be other boys, other boyfriends, but Kitty had known there was only one she wanted. He had become her key thought through the day. Making him a priority might have not been the best idea.

She looked at her friend again. "Rogue, if you don't want to talk right now. That's fine. I'm going to grab my math book and do some homework. I can wait until you are ready." She got up and walked over to where her bookbag was.

It was then that Kitty noticed the window was open. It was the dead of winter. Even though Rogue could be frosty, she wasn't insane. Kitty padded across the floor to close the balcony doors. As she was securing the lock, she saw her friends outside having a snowball fight. "Do you want to go out in the snow?" she offered, glancing over her shoulder at Rogue. "It might be fun." There was no reply.

Kitty watched as Bobby sent an ice spear flying through the air to pin Kurt's hood to a tree. Out of nowhere, Jean appeared and with the help of Scott started to pummel Kurt with snowballs. He easily evaded them by bamfing to another section of the yard. That was where she saw the impossible. Rogue was leaning against a tree, watching the others, looking as unenthused as ever. Kitty stepped back from the window, looked over at the Rogue on her bed, then back outside.

Fear set in. She swallowed the nervous lump in her throat. It was no use running. That would set off whichever Rogue was the intruder. No, she had to be smart. She'd excuse herself from the room, go downstairs, and warn the Professor. She just needed a reason.

"H-hey Rogue?" she squeaked. "I'm gonna go out with the others, alright?"

She started to move, but paused when her roommate sat up. For the first time since she had entered the room, the girl looked Kitty directly in the eyes. "No you're not," she said. But her voice was not the slow Southern-draw Kitty was used to. It was deeper and older. "You're coming with me." Rogue's eyes flashed yellow as she got to her feet and Kitty understood.

"Mystique."

Fifteen minutes later, Lance stood outside the bedroom door pacing. He had to tell her. He just wasn't sure how to do it. Taking a deep breath, he balled his hand into a fist and called to her.

"Kitty." He knocked on the door, but there was no answer. "Kitty? It's Lance. Can we talk?" Still no response. He was starting to get worried. He knocked again, this time louder. "Rogue? Kitty? Is someone in there?" When no one answered the third time, he broke down the door.

Neither girl was in the room. The beds were still neatly made and there was no appearance of a struggle, but something didn't feel right to Lance. Kitty never went anywhere with out leaving a note. He turned to leave, when a flash of white caught his eyes. He sprinted over to the windows and found a scrap of paper stuck in the curtains.

_Avalanche, _

_If you ever suspect to see her again, don't come looking. _

It wasn't signed, but he knew the writing. It was Mystique's. His first idea was to go after her, but he knew that it would be foolish. He had no where to start looking. As much as he loved Kitty, he couldn't save her alone. He needed help from the people who were closest to her. He ran downstairs to tell Professor Xavier.

* * *

**A/N:** Please check out my Lance/Kitty music video. The link is on my profile. I would really appreciate it! Thanks! Nev 


	4. Hardest Thing To Say

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Avalanche, Shadowcat, Quicksilver, Rogue, Cyclops, Jean Grey, Wolverine, Storm, or any other character created for the X-Men: Evolution series or X-Men as a whole.

**Chapter Three: The Hardest Thing To Say**

Kitty struggled against her binds. Her mind was racing with a thousand questions, but the most frequent one that ran through her brain was: _Why can't I phase?_

Her capture had brought her to an old warehouse. Though rather cliché, it served its purpose. It was eerie, with very little light. In fact, the only source of visibility stemmed from a lone light bulb that was hanging from the ceiling above Kitty's head. Everything else was covered in the shadow of blackness.

She bit at the cloth covering her mouth, but it only helped push the gag further inside. Rolling her eyes, she tried to pull her wrist through the tight ropes. Nothing happened. She screamed in frustration. What was wrong with her?

"Nothing," purred a cynical voice. "You just have an unfortunate case of food poisoning," the woman with blue skin chuckled, as she stepped into the light. Kitty glared at Mystique, before lowering her eyes to the floor. How had the mutant overcome her abilities? A gene wasn't something one could take away. It was a part of her, just as all her other genes that made her look and act the way she did.

Mystique reached out her hand, cupping Kitty's chin. "So you think you and Avalanche can unite all mutants?" she taunted, disbelief in her gold orbs. Kitty defiantly nodded her head, not ready for the violent response she received. With one swift movement, her enemy had slapped her. Kitty felt the room spinning. "Would you like to try that again?" The wrath in Katherine Pryde's eyes made her opponent back up a step. Mystique only faltered for a moment. "Very well. We'll see how you answer me in another hour, when the toxic I planted in your food reaches your heart and breathing becomes nearly impossible."

Kitty waited, until her capture had left, to cry.

Meanwhile at the Institute...

"Logan, ready the X-Jet. Kitty has been kidnapped," Professor Xavier's calm collected voice commanded order over the large outraged crowd in the living room.

"WHAT!" roared Wolverine, his eyes immediately on Lance.

"Logan," the Professor's neutral tone rang out a second time. "I believe our old friend Mystique is behind this."

There was a moment of silence from the group as the students waited for Wolverine's next move. Even Scott and Jean were quiet. "Fine Charles," grunted the enraged mutant. "But if anything happens to Half-Pint, I'm holding you personally responsible," he pointed to Lance before stalking out.

Ignoring the remark, Professor X turned his chair to his eldest students. "Scott and Jean, could you please ready yourself as well? I have a feeling we will be needing you."

"Of course," Scott replied hurridly, rushing out and bumping into Lance on his way. Jean spared him an apologetic look, but her concern seemed forced.

"As for the rest of you, I want everyone stationed downstairs in the underground safe haven. There's no telling what Mystique is up to. Until I know how she disabled Kitty, I want you all to look out for yourselves and eachother. Kurt," he angled toward the blue mutant, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I want you to lead. You are older and have more experience. If anything should happen before we return get everyone out."

"Yes sir," Kurt replied obediently.

"Alright everyone, downstairs," the Professor announced. No one argued. Kitty's disappearence had shocked them all. They quietly followed Kurt down to the basement.

As the last mutant student left, Lance turned back to Professor Xavier. "How are we going to get her back?"

"I can not imagine how Mystique got Kitty out of the Institute or how she got in here undetected in the first place. It all seems very strange. Reguardless of how she did it, we have a missing girl who is probably scared right now. I need you to keep focused, Lance. I know Kitty is very close to you, but tempers are running high and too much emotion could get in the way. Right now, I need you to be level headed and think clearly. Can you do that for me?"

He was asking too much. All Lance could think about was how stupid he had been letting Kitty get away from him, not stopping her and telling her how he felt. Maybe if he had, maybe if she would have known she would have fought harder. Maybe if he had had the guts to tell her right away she would still be here right now. All he could think was that this was his fault. How could he not let his emotions get in the way? His dreams of Kitty finishing school faded. The image of her marrying him shattered. Quicker than the beat of his heart, his hopes disappeared, just as she had. He took a deep breath and tried to figure out what he could do at a time like this. What else could he do but help the X-Geeks?

"I don't make any promises, but I'll try," he answered.

"And that's all we could ask for," the Professor replied with a light smile. "Shall we?" Lance followed the older man out of the room to the lower level where the X-jet was kept.

Back at Mystique's Hideout...

The room was wiggling. Kitty closed her eyes, paused for a minute, then opened them again. The room was still in motion. She felt bile rise in her throat. What was happening to her? She tried to swallow and found that her mouth was dry. She attempted phasing, but as before, nothing happened. She wanted to scream, but that would only increase the pain in her throat. Instead, she vouched to look around the room again. The walls were dancing. They kept zig-zagging up and down in front of her. She tried the floor, earning a similiar response. Too sick to keep trying, she shut her eyes tightly.

"How are you doing Kitty-Cat?" the woman smirked as she sat in front of Kitty, taking a bit out of a ripe, red apple. "Feeling a bit dizzy? Can't see straight? Want some water?"

Knowing that a weak response was what Mystique craved, Kitty did the opposite. She raised her chin and glared at her opponent. Unsurprisingly, Mystique struck her again. "For living in a school, you're not as smart as I thought."

_Guess Logan taught me right then, didn't he?_ Kitty mused to herself.

"We will have to fix that," Mystique commented lazily, continuing to eat her apple.

_Remove my gag and we will_, Kitty thought with a sly smile.

Mystique obviously could not read minds. "I am sure your precious X-Men will be here within the hour to save you, but they do not know what I know," she grinned wickedly. She tossed the core of the apple over her shoulder. It hit something metal in the background, where Kitty couldn't see due to the poor lightening. "I know Avalanche's weakness. Charles is far too compassionate to allow any harm come to you, but he will not let me harm Avalanche either. He cares too much. So if Charles can not act, he will have no choice but to watch you die. And when Avalanche sees you go, he'll no longer need the X-Men. He'll have no reason to stay. He'll go back to the only life he knows, back to the Brotherhood."

_The hell he will_, Kitty wanted to scream as she struggled to be free.

"Now, now," Mystique warned. "Don't do that. You'll only increase your heart rate and that will allow the toxin to spread faster. You don't want that, do you?"

Kitty's eyes widened as she realized that her capture was right. The poison was in her blood stream. Any motion that would cause her pulse to speed up would only make the poison move quicker. The more she tried to get free, the more she was killing herself. She sat back, staring at the floor. She was powerless to stop Mystique. She didn't like it.

"Good cat."

_Buggar off!_

Trying to recall her lessons with Mr. McCoy, Kitty scanned her brain for any valuable information dealing with poisons. How to control them would be a good topic, but she couldn't remember a session dealing with that. Mostly, Mr. McCoy had taught the X-Men how to avoid contracting a poison. A lot of good that lesson did her now. Somehow, Mystique had managed to penetrate the Institutions defenses again. And like before, she had taken full advantage of their error.

Glancing down at the floor, Kitty could no longer define the cold cement as the ground. It blended into the dark shadows. She felt like she was falling into a vortex. Everything around her was swirled together in an array of dule colors. She felt vomit gagging her, keeping her from breathing regularly. A wave of dizziness swept over her head, causing her to shut her eyes for fear she really would fall over. She clutched her fists tightly together at her sides and tried to steady her breathing. This wasn't how things were suppose to be, she thought. She was suppose to be in her room. She was suppose to be fighting for mutant unity. She was suppose to be with Lance. This wasn't right. It was all wrong. Everything was wrong!

"Feeling a bit under the weather, Kitty-Cat?"

The pleasure coming from Mystique's voice only made her stomach more uneasy. What if this really was the end? What if this poison killed her? She would have never finished high school. She would have never had a chance to say goodbye to her parents, or her friends, or to Lance. Could this really be it? Could she-

Mystique's hand was on her chin again. "Now, Kitty-Cat, I want you to beg for your life." She hesitated for a moment, then removed the gag from around Kitty's mouth. "Beg."

The nausea was almost impossible to control at this point, but Kitty held onto her anger. She owed her life to her defiance. Leveling her eyes with Mystique, she growled, "No." The woman's golden eyes expanded in surprise. "If I have to, I'll die here, but I am not going to beg for my life."

Kitty watched as Mystique's rage consumed her. At first it started with the slight shaking of her wrist, but after a few more seconds, the shaking had erupted into a scream of outrage. She grabbed a hold of Kitty's shirt by the collar, pulling the young girl closer to her. "You'll suffer," she promised, her voice strained.

"But at the end of the day, who will be angrier?" Kitty quipped, grinning when she noticed the flare in Mystiques temper.

Mystique's foot came in contact with Kitty's stomach. Almost immediately, vomit hit the floor. Kitty felt her eyes watering from both the physical pain of her body and her fear. A hand smashed into the side of her head. The wooden seat broke as it hit the concrete floor, sending Kitty sprawling. Her bones ached as the shock of the fall went through them. She bit her bottom lip, trying to find her footing. Without the chair to steady her, she felt as if her legs were made of Jell-O. She closed her eyes, knowing that she would have a better chance of fighting Mystique if she didn't look at her surroundings. Something, she thought it was a shoulder, hit in her the ribs. Her back slammed into a wall. So much for winning the fight.

She put her hand to her mouth instinctively as she began to cough. At first, she suspected she would vomit again, but these coughs were different. She was appalled when she noticed the warm red liquid in her hand. _Blood._ She was coughing up blood. Her hand started to shake as the realization dawned on her. She was bleeding from the inside. She had internal damage, probably from the poison, but most likely from trying to fight Mystique...and losing. Kitty forced herself to get back up in a standing position. She heard Mystique's footsteps as she came closer. Kitty waited.

"Well, well, well. A fiesty little kitten, aren't-,"

Kitty landed a punch directly on Mystique's cheek. As the blue skinned mutant howled, Kitty sunk back down to the floor. That last act had caused her to lose the last of her balance control. She felt her body weakening. She had used too much strength on that last hit, now she had nothing left to do but let Mystique kill her. The footsteps neared once again. Kitty kept her eyes closed, not wanting her enemy's grin be the last thing she remembered from this earth.

CRASH

An explosion to her left, made Kitty jump slightly. She tried to open her eyes, but now she couldn't even tell who Mystique was. She just looked like a blue streak amongst the black and gray. "Kitty? Kitty, where are you?" voices were screaming. She could identify them as Scott and Jean. She tried to call out to them, but found her voice wasn't strong enough. She could barley talk above a whisper. As she tried to figure out another way to connect with them, she heard Mr. Logan's excessive swearing as he attacked Mystique. He was yelling something about intruding on his turf and messing with his kid. She had to smile at that. Mr. Logan was so sweet when he thought no one was watching.

_Kitty, are you there?_ a voice floated across her mind. Instantly she recognized it as the Professor.

_I'm here_, she thought, knowing he could hear her. _I think I'm leaning against a wall._

_Hold on. Don't move. We'll be right there._

_Okay._

She held her breath as she heard a pair of footsteps coming closer. At first she thought it was Mystique come to finish the job, but when she heard the motorized wheelchair, she knew the Professor had found her. "Kitty," a familiar voice said, as arms lifted her up off the ground. She dared to open her eyes. Lance was smiling at her, as he held her close to his chest. She could feel the beating of his heart and felt herself melt. He had come for her. It was like out of a movie. She tried to talk, but words wouldn't come. "Shhh," he said. "Let's get you out of here."

The Next Day...

Down in the labs at the Institutioni, Professor Xavier and Wolverine were standing over a hospital bed. Kitty Pryde was lying unconcious on the white linen sheets, her pulse rate normal and her skin tone losing its pale hue.

"How is she, Charles?" Logan asked, not bothering to hide the concern in his voice.

"I've seen far worse," the Professor answered. "There is no telling how Mystique got in here undetected, but the poison she gave Kitty was not the traditional dose. It was a chemically altered string of DNA from a mutant called Leech. It appears that Leech has the power to take another mutant's powers away. Giving Kitty a concentrated dose of the toxin prevented her from being able to phase and caused her body to go into some sort of shock."

"So what did you give her?"

"Lucky for Kitty, Mystique had an antidote."

"This," Logan held up a small vial that he recovered from the warehouse.

The Professor nodded. "Yes. She probably had it in case she came into contact with the serum."

"So Half-Pint is going to be alright?" Logan finished, running his hand over Kitty's forehead.

"Yes. She'll need lots of rest. But I'm sure she'll be back to her normal self in about a week. There is no need to worry, Logan." The Professor and Wolverine exited the room, making sure to keep it locked. They had no desire for another break-in. As they walked up the corridor to the elevator, Wolverine asked another burning question.

"What are you going to do about that Avalanche kid?"

"Lance?"

"Yeah, Lance," Logan ground out. "A question like that needs an answer, Charles."

"Well, as Kitty's guardian, I can not with hold the information from her. When she is back to full health, I will talk to her about it. Until then, the best thing to do is let her sleep."

"But Charles-,"

The Professor interrupted. "Logan, Kitty is not a child any longer. This experience has given all the students perceptive on life. I think it has affected Lance deeply because of his connection with Kitty. It's only natural that he would ask for her hand. But I am not Kitty's father and neither are you, so the choice is hers to make."

Wolverine was not happy with the response, but he could not argue. Instead, he opted to go see Avalanche himself.

One Week Later...

Kitty felt if one more person hugged her she would explode. As good as it was to be back, all the attention was starting to irritate her. Rogue seemed to sense this. "Alright ya all," she snapped. "Get out of my room!" Kurt started to object, but Rogue removed one of her gloves. "Nah, I said I wanted you out of here. Don't make me use mah powers." Kurt backed off and within moments, everyone was gone. "Are ya feeling alright?" Rogue asked, standing by the door. "I know you went through a lot."

"I'm fine," Kitty sighed. "Just need some rest."

"Alright. Well I'm gonna do my homework outside in the hall. If anyone tries to come in," she trailed off and shrugged, putting her glove back on.

"Thanks, Rogue," Kitty smiled at her friend.

"No problem."

Rogue exited the room, surprised when she saw Lance coming down the hall. "Is she in there?" he asked softly. Rogue nodded and started to say he couldn't go in, but when she saw the look in his eyes, she stopped herself. "I am going home this afternoon. Could I say goodbye?"

"Sure," Rogue reached in front of him and opened the door.

"Thank you." Kitty was sitting by the window, her legs drawn up to her chest. She hadn't heard him come in. "Hey Kit-Kat," he smiled, leaning against the wall. She glanced over her shoulder and smiled. He loved it when she smiled like that. "How you feeling?"

"Good," she grinned, getting up. He motioned for her to stay where she was. She looked confused, but didn't press him.

"Kitty, I'm going home today. Actually, I'm leaving right after this. I just came to say goodbye." He watched her face distort into sadness. It looked so wrong on her. But this was a test. He had to see for himself. "But before I go, I need to say something to you that I should have said weeks ago." He started to cross the room. "Kitty, I wanted to unite the mutants and I wanted to use our relationship as an example that even the impossible is possible when you try, but there's one thing that I just can't get past." He stopped to sit down next to her.

"What is it?" she asked, staring at the floor.

"I love you."

Kitty's eyes went to his face. "You love me?" He nodded and leaned forward.

She closed her eyes, anticipating the kiss, but he stopped just a breath away from her lips. "And I would be honored if you would marry me?" he reached for her hand and she felt him slid a ring upon her finger.

She pulled back, glancing down at her hand. Her first response was to say yes, but then she thought of Mystique and the beating she had taken. She thought about the same nightmare happening to Lance. She couldn't chance that. She had dreamed at night of that terror, the powerless feeling that had taken over her body. She never wanted anyone to go through that, especially Lance. Tears burned at her eyes, but she held them back. She couldn't let him see her like this. She was about to say the hardest thing to him. It was worse than the time she had slapped him, worse than leaving him, and far worse than calling him a hood, because this time she was refusing him when they both knew that they loved each other.

"Lance," she started, shakily. He was holding her hands, a hopeful look in his eyes. She didn't want to do this to him. She didn't want to break him. "I can't marry you," she said softly. He dropped her hands, as if burned. "I love you, but I don't want you to rescue me. I have to learn to rescue myself." He shook his head, as if he couldn't hear her. She wanted to explain, but he got to his feet and walked out.

Hours later, when Rogue would come back from doing homework, Kitty would still be crying.


	5. So Much For My Happy Ending

**Author's Note of Thanks:** As the different pointed out, I only have about 6 readers for this story. So, since the one review I got from the different made my day, I am posting the final chapter. Thank you to those of you who have been reading and supporting this fic. It has been great. I hope I have the time/inspiration to complete another soon! _Neveada _

**Chapter Four: So Much for My Happy Ending**

**Present Day**

Katherine Pryde sat at the wooden desk in the corner. None of the furniture in the room had changed since she had last been present. Other then the thick film of dust that layered the counter top, the desk looked to be in rather good condition. She scanned the bedroom seeing each tiny detail from the smallest crack in the floor to the hole in the ceiling. She breathed in the scent of the old home. She could still feel him. In this place, nearly a decade after their final encounter, he still haunted her.

Lockheed, oblivious to her spur of nostalgia, was content lying on the bed, curled up like a cat. Rogue had often remarked to Kitty how much like her namesake her pet was. "Ah swear, that thing sleeps more than any other creature on this earth," she had said one afternoon as the two sat outside on the Institute steps. They had just finished a training session and had opted to get some fresh air. Lockheed was sleeping next to Kitty, lying in the shade of the columns.

Watching him rest now, she had to agree with her friend. It was times like this that made her think Lockheed had to be a cat instead of a dragon. His tongue flickered in and out of his mouth, making a small flapping sound each time it protruded from his open jaw. She smiled. He was her dearest companion. Cute but fierce, he was perfect for travel and loyal to the point she often wondered if he thought she was his mother.

Kitty sighed, surveying the room once again. _What am I doing here?_ she pondered as her fingernails drilled against the desk. Her purpose was about as easy to identify as Wolverine's age. She had a few theories, but she wasn't ready to explore them yet.

She had only mentioned Lance a handful of times in the past ten years. The only person she would talk about him to was Rogue. Her roommate had been supportive all through their relationship. She had come to terms with Lance's position with the Brotherhood and Kitty's feelings for him. She had never once said that Kitty would be better off without him, and even though she complained that Kitty talked to him on the phone too often, she had always said it with a smile.

There had been a time right after their separation when Logan had tried to comfort her. She had never told him anything of consequence, even though she knew she could trust him. She hadn't wanted to. He had understood. He had always understood. "There are some things that you have to keep to yourself, Half-Pint. I think, for you, Avalanche...Lance...is one of them. After all, you were the only one who understood him." No one else would have offered her closure like he had.

While the rest of the Institute pestered her about how wrong Lance had been for her, Logan and Rouge spared her the humiliation. She had never been more grateful to the two of them.

Colossus did not know much about Lance. He knew Kitty and Avalanche had dated briefly in high school but he did not know the extent of their relationship, or the reason it had ended. She had been prepared to tell him, but then they had broken up and she had gone off to London to join the Excalibur team. While there, she had had a meaningless fling with a mutant named Peter Wisdom.

The British man had become a close friend during her stay in Europe. Her mistake had been in believing her companionship with him was attraction. She had thought she was ready to move on. In the end, their breakup was a sweet release. Wisdom and Pryde didn't make sense together. Surprisingly, when she returned to the States, a different Peter was waiting for her. Colossus had heard of her romance with fellow fighter Wisdom and had asked her for a second chance. He had said that he loved her.

In Kitty's mind love was wanting to share all the small beauties of your life with another. Love was trusting another person with everything from your car keys to your life. Love was saying goodbye only when you had to. It was a feeling so strong you couldn't control it. It consumed you from your core and drove you insane. But at the end of the day, you liked the hand it had dealt you and you embraced all the gifts it had laid at your feet. Her vision of love was something no man had ever touched.

She knew that had she said yes to Lance all those years ago, things would have been different. He had loved her. Things had not been perfect, but nothing in this world ever was. She had been close. She had been so close to it. Tempting as his offer had been, she had had to make her choice. The effects of her actions had caused her pain for years. It seemed that wound still wasn't healed. What other reason did she have for being here now?

Stretching her arms above her head, she let her head drop back. Strands of brown hair fell off her shoulders and hung freely behind her. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. She listened to the room. She could pick out the sound of her breathing, steady and calm. Across the room, Lockheed's twittering tongue added to the abstract orchestra. From outside, the muffled chirps of birds came and from the house the slight creaks and moans of time. Kitty waited for the memories to speak to her, but they did not. Only the sounds of the present fell to her ears.

Thankful, she sat up straight and returned to drilling her nails on the wood. There was something she needed to do here. The feeling, no, the need to be here had had to have had a purpose. Even in her deranged mind, there was purpose. Her subconscious desire to return to this place had to have a conclusion. Ready to explore the past, she started going through the desk drawers.

The top middle one only had a blank tablet of lined paper and one chewed pencil. She made a face at the teeth marks in the writing instrument and opened the next drawer. There wasn't anything in it. Or in the next one, or in the following. She opened the final drawer. At first, she assumed it was the same and slammed it shut. As it was closing, her eyes saw a small scrap of white stuck to the back of the drawer. Quickly, she yanked it out of the hinges. A letter was pinned to the wood.

Tearing it off, she inspected the coloration of the paper to determine how old it was. Judging by the yellow tint it had, she guessed not very recent. She used her thumb nail to cut through the envelope's closed flap. On the inside, a ripped scrap of paper sat. Holding open the envelope, she allowed the piece to fall onto the desk. There was a message written there. And it was for her.

_Kitty, _

_If you?re reading this, it is because you turned me down. No doubt I am heartbroken, but there is something I need to tell you, even if the pain of seeing you is too great right now. Katherine Pryde, I love you. I have loved you since the moment I saw you. I will always love you, no matter what. Even if you can't love me, I know you are the one person on this earth who understands me. You have loved me enough for me to know that I have a purpose. I am not giving up on us. Though you reject me now, I have faith that one day, when the differences between us are aside, you and I will be together._

_I am going away. By the time you read this, I will be gone. I am continuing to do what Professor Xavier intended us to do, because I want to be with you. I will fight until I die if that is what it takes. I want a world where we can be together, even if I must give my own life to get it. At least then others like us won't be burdened like we were._

_I would never wish the pain I feel now on anyone else. Losing you was the hardest thing I have ever had to get through, but the thought of working towards a brand new day has kept me alive._

_I love you Kitty. Please believe that, if nothing else._

_Lance Alvers_

The words became blurry. She blinked and water droplets washed away the last letters of his name. It took her a moment to realize she was crying. Tears that hadn't been shed in years, tears of a love long lost ran free. She gripped the letter in her right hand, bracing herself against the desk with her left.

Her body started to shake. He had loved her. He had cared. He had altered his entire life. He had become a changed man, but she had said no. They could have had it all. She could have been married by now. She could have had children. She tried to stand, but her feet would not hold her. She crashed to her knees, putting her head in her hands. What had she done?

Until this moment, she had never realized how much she truly wanted a family of her own. His talk of a brighter future, of buying a house and raising children together had been more than just words. His idea of getting a dog for the kids to play with in the backyard had been more than just a dream. He had been serious. All those time she had thought he was just entertaining himself with options for the future, he had been planning a future. He had wanted to be with her and she had sent him away.

It was hard to breath. Her nostrils were clogged and the tears were coming down so hard she couldn't see her hand in front of her eyes. She tried breathing through her mouth, but it was hard. Her nose was draining into her throat. All the excess flem was trying to escape and it was cutting off her oxygen supply. She gasped for air, her shoulders still convulsing with each attempt to control her sobs. Carefully, she pulled herself up onto the desk chair, and laid her head to rest on the counter.

A long period of time past before she was able to sit up again. She didn't bother to wipe her eyes clean. They were far to red anyway. She did not wish to agitate them further. Yanking an empty sheet of notebook paper off the blank tablet in the top drawer, she blew her nose. It wasn't soft like a tissue, but it did the trick. Now her nose matched her eyes. She stood, not sure where to go or what to do. What _could_ she do now?

Lockheed was still sleeping on the bed, looking peaceful as ever. She made up her mind instantly. She joined him, moving him over so she had room. She'd spend the night here, give her mind time to think this over. Tomorrow was a new day. She could decided where her fate lie then. Closing her eyes, she drifted off to sleep.

Hours later...

Kitty heard the intruder before they entered the house. Aside of her, Lockheed was already sitting up, his ears at attention. She motioned for him to stay in the bedroom. Not making a sound, she got to her feet, and phased through the floor. In the living room, she heard the person unlock the front door and step inside. Keeping her breathing low, she watched the shadow of the intruder move across the floorboards. It was too bulky to be a woman, so she deduced it was a man.

When he started climbing the steps, she launched into action. Her foot came into contact with the male's abdomen. He went down hard. "What the hell?" he shouted, before getting back to his feet. He was tougher than she would have pegged him for. She did a back flip to put distance between them as he charged at her. As she landed, he threw a punch. She barely escaped.

Instinct told her to run, but her determination to put an end to this was stronger. Her adrenaline was pumping hard and she felt an electric current flowing through her that she had never felt before. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't thrilled by this battle. There was something about his motions and how difficult it was for her to land another blow that she found appealing.

A smile graced her lips as she ducked from another punch. His knee started to rise, ready to catch her in the stomach, but she kicked out her leg a second quicker, catching him off guard. He lost his balance and landed on the floor beneath her. She reached to grab him by his collar, but he offered a twist. He grabbed her wrist and dragged her down with him.

It was too dark to see his face. She could hear him breathing as hard as she was. Sweat beaded her forehead. She hadn't had a fight as good as this since she had fought Logan in the Shield training room. This man's hands were strong and she was surprised when she realized how gentle he was holding onto her. If this was a life-threatening situation, she could have easily gotten away.

"Who are you?" he demanded, sounding more annoyed than angry.

"Who are you?" she shot back.

He chuckled. "I used to live here," he told her.

Kitty felt her heart stop. She jumped back, phasing through his hands. No one had lived in the boarding house since the Brotherhood. She backed up, not watching where she was going and landed herself on the steps. She crashed the back of her knees into one of the steps, causing her to wince. It seemed the steps were sturdy after all.

The man approached her, his hand out. She tried to move, but it felt as if her legs were suddenly made of led. When his hand was in front of her, she did the only thing she could think to do. She placed hers over top of his. He seemed startled, and pulled away. He knew. The led dissipated from her legs and she sprinted up the steps to Lockheed. She heard him follow her, but she didn't care. She had the power to put enough distance between them.

"Let's go," she said as she entered the room. Lockheed flew over to the window. She unlatched the lock and yanked it up. The purple dragon glided out on the night's breeze. She started to put her legs out, just as he got a hold on her arm.

"Kitty," he pulled her back in. "What are you doing here?" She threw a punch at him, but he ducked. "Kitty," he tried again, holding her by both arms. She struggled, but he was strong. She didn't have the strength to break free. "Kit-Kat, it's me, Lance."

She didn't want to look at him. Moonlight was pooling in from the open window but she refused to look. She couldn't bring herself to look upon his face, the face that belonged to the man that had written that letter. A heart-wrenching letter that was still in her pocket, a souvenir she had planned on returning to the Institute with. She wanted to leave, but she couldn't phase. It was like cheating.

He let go. Face still turned away from him, she did not see the disappoint expression on his face. "I know you don't want to stay, but could you at least tell me why you came here?" he asked, his voice defeated. A tear slipped down her cheek. She bit back her bottom lip and rotated around.

He sat on the floor in front of her, watching the floor. His hair was still long, though nowadays he wore it tied back in a leather band. His bangs were hanging in his eyes so she couldn't see their rich hazel color. He was dressed in a while T-shirt and jeans. She was surprised that there were no rips in the knees. Boots covered his feet, decorated with dirt and a few pieces of grass. A tattoo adorned his upper right arm, a circular pattern of barbed wire. He looked different, older. She reached out a shaking hand, brushing his hair away from his face. His eyes lifted up to see her face and she gasped. He was crying.

"Kitty," he whispered.

She wouldn't be able to distinguish who moved first, but in the next instant his hands were on her face and her lips were crashing into his. The tears that had once been on his face mixed with the newly formed ones from hers. She wrapped her arms around him, fearing if she let go he would disappear forever. He laced his fingers in her hair, holding her against him, fearing the same.

When the two could no longer breath, they broke apart. Silence followed their act of passion as the two stared at one another, contemplating their actions. Kitty ran her finger over her lips, remembering the kisses she had shared with Colossus. No electricity buzzed through her like the feelings she was having now. Perhaps she had found the love she had desired for so long.

"Where did you go?" she asked, breaking the silence.

Lance shifted so that his back was resting against the wall. "I was in Japan for a while, then I went to China. I wanted to master all types of martial arts. They teach patience and understanding. Both were lessons I needed to bulk up on, especially after the incident with Wanda."

Kitty cringed as she thought of how many lives had been destroyed by the Scarlet Witch's outburst. She ran her fingers over his arm. "So you lost your powers?" she said sadly.

He nodded. "I had been in a doujo at the time, studying under a rather esteemed master. I felt dizzy. It started out small at first, then I lost ability to stand. The next thing I knew, I was waking up in a hut outside of town. I could barely move. I had to stay there for three weeks before I could walk again. The man I had been studying under had his nephew look after me. He was learning to be a doctor. I'm sure he had never seen anything like what I had. How many people lose a gene that caused them to control tremors?"

She smiled, despite the circumstances. Lance was no longer Avalanche. He was a regular human. That presented a serious problem. How could he defend himself? They were back at where they had started. Her fear from years ago was once again holding them apart. Then she recalled how tough he had been when they had sparred down in the hall. She had a feeling he could defend himself just fine. "Why did you come back?" Kitty asked, her hand in his.

Lance ran his free hand through his hair. "Pietro came to my house in Korea. He told me he had seen you here. He figured I should come back." She glanced down at her watch, then back at him. He grinned. "Pietro gave me a lift here. He said there was no time like the present." This time, she grinned.

The two sat together awhile longer in companionable silence. They watched the stars from where they sat by the window. As the sun rose in the east, Kitty noticed a small shape coming towards them. Lance saw it too. He stood up and braced himself for the object to hit him, but Kitty pushed him out of the way.

"Lockheed!" she exclaimed as she caught her purple pet.

Lance's eyes grew wide. "That's a d-dragon," he pointed to the creature snuggling in her arms.

"Yes," she kissed the crown of Lockheed's head. "This is my baby." He relaxed until she took his hand and helped him brush Lockheed's scales. The creature was smooth and cool. Resembling a winged lizard, he was strangely peaceful. After another pet, the purple creature actually leaned into Lance's motions. "See, he likes you," she smiled. He smiled to and continued to pet the dragon.

They fell into silence once again. The sun continued to rise, causing the sky to shift from gray to pink, to orange, to pale yellow. It was beautiful and alluring. But there was something unsettled between the two that had to be taken care of.

"Kitty?"

"Yeah?"

"Where do we go from here?"

Neither Kitty nor Lance knew what to say. Staring at one another, they did not move. Lockheed laid in Kitty's lap, not noticing the toll Lance's words had taken on his master. "I...I have a different life now, Lance," she started. "I am not the little girl I once was. I have a boyfriend..." here she paused. Colossus meant something to her, but Lance was her dream. "I...Lance, I'm sorry. Having you back here...I just don't know what to do."

"Kitty," he hugged her. "I love you. I could never love anyone else the way I loved you. I never expected to come back here. I did not want to ruin the great things you made for yourself. You should be happy." He paused, then, "I want you to be happy."

She placed her hand on his mouth. "Lance," she hushed him. "I read your letter." He froze, shocked by her confession. Tears came again. "I love you. It took me these past ten years to realize how deeply I loved you back then and how much I need you now, but...," she shook her head. "I just don't know where to go from here."

He nodded. "How about we just take this one day at a time? Give ourselves a second chance?"

For a moment, she didn't say anything. She brushed at her tears and ran a hand through her hair, then she smiled. "That sounds like a good idea."

Hand in hand, they left the Bayville Boarding house, heading back to the Xavier Institute. Kitty did not know what to expect when they walked through the doors, but she knew she would get through it. Lance had found her. Nothing was going to be easy from this point on, but today was the first day of the rest of their life together. And maybe she could still have her happy ending.


End file.
